The Berry Patch is a place in TN where the Berry Family dwell, abiding in Christ and aspiring to become more like Him day-by-day.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

September 22-23, 2012 … Here For A Day Such As This

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 266-7

Blogger's Note: No, ... I didn't disappear for a day or shirk my discipline in my daily chronological study of the Bible this year. Today, I'm merely combining my study from yesterday with my devotional journal for today to document my study of the Book of Esther for the past two days.

Passage of the Day - 9/22: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Esther, Chapters 1-5 To study these chapters, go to this link -
============Passage of the Day – 9/23: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Esther, Chapters 6-10 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Esther 1 … Use the link above to read each Chapter of Esther : [NLT] … {Read of the intrigue in the palace of the Persian King, Xerxes, in the remainder of Chapter 1, especially how his Queen, Vashti, was banished from the kingdom by a drunken, impulsive King when she refused to come to him when summoned.}
============Highlight Passage: Esther 2: : [NLT] … {Read of the remaining intrigue in Chapter 2 from the link above of how Esther became favored by the King among all the women brought to him and how she was crowned as the new Queen of Persia, keeping her Jewish ancestry a secret at the advice of her older cousin, Mordecai, who had raised her like his daughter.}
============Highlight Passage: Esther 3 : [NLT] … {And now, in this drama of life, we read of a scenario totally orchestrated by God, Whom, by the way, is not mentioned even once in this book. But, reading on in Chapter 3, enters a powerful character, Haman, who was Xerxes’ right hand man in Persia. And this proud administrator ordered that all in the kingdom bow to him; and all did, save Mordecai. And rebuffed by the Queen’s relative, Haman conned Xerxes into signing a decree that all the Jews would be killed.}
============Highlight Passage: Esther 4: 13-15 [Note highlighted and underlined verse 14 below] : [NLT] … {Now the plot thickens as Mordecai grieves the King’s decree, engineered by Haman, Esther asks to be seen by the King, … a brave move because in that kingdom, no one is allowed to come to the King on his/her own. Then Mordecai contacts his cousin. And we read the key verses in all of this chronicle of the life of Esther.} …
13 Mordecai sent back this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that you will escape there in the palace when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?”
============Highlight Passage: Esther 5 : [NLT] … {And then we read of Esther’s plan to uncover Haman’s scheme as she plans two banquets, seemingly honoring Haman but where she ultimately will reveal all to Xerxes, which would be the ultimate test of the King’s love for her. And in all of this God’s hand moves, with His sovereign grace, to reshape the political landscape in Persia and, as we’ll read in the remainder of this book, save His chosen people, using this simple Jewish girl to execute His will. Read the remaining portion of Chapter 5, using the link above, to read this portion of God’s drama in Persia.}
=============Highlight Passage: Esther 6 … : [NLT] … {And in this perfectly timed historical drama, Haman’s very human pride and greedy misperception became God’s vehicle to take Mordecai to a place of honor and Haman to his just “reward,” which of course was death [chapter 7]. God will always punish disobedience and reward obedience, … even though it may take a while – i.e., God’s timing – for the scales of God’s justice to fall into alignment … maybe not even in this life; … but all of God’s justice will fall into place – HIS place – in glory.}
============Highlight Passage: Esther 7 … : [NLT] … {And the true colors of Haman are unveiled and the gallows become his final place of dishonor in history, while God’s plan of salvation for Esther and His chosen people play out in the relationship and witness of love which Esther had established with King Xerxes. }
============Highlight Passage: Esther 8 … : [NLT] … {And God’s reward for Esther’s and Mordecai’s faithfulness is meted out by King Xerxes, showing God’s ultimate reward for the faithfulness of believers. But we shouldn’t expect that such a reward will take place in this life. And even when it does, as with the travails of Esther, we often have to walk through the fires of life to allow God’s will and plan to be executed. That was the lesson we also learn from Job, isn’t it? But God’s ultimate reward for our faithfulness is worth anything we might encounter in this life because, as Xerxes sealed the reward of protection for the Jews through Mordecai in Chapter 8, our future in protected – FOREVER – by God’s seal of His Spirit and eternal life for those who’ve given our hearts over to the Messiah.}
============Highlight Passage: Esther 9 … : [NLT] … {In Chapter 9 we read of how the events of God’s justice played out historically for the Jews in those days of Xerxes and his giving the Jews the right to defend themselves against any enemies. And when it all played out, Mordecai established a feast, the feast of Purim, which is still celebrated by orthodox or Messianic Jews about this time of the year, celebrating another of God’s just deliverance from the injustices and schemes of those who would come against God. … The message – God will not be mocked! }
============Highlight Passage: Esther 10 … : [NLT] … {My Parson’s commentary at the end of this chapter, records the following: "Although we may not understand everything happening around us, we must trust in God’s protection and retain our integrity by doing what we know is right. Esther, who risked her life by appearing before the king, became a heroine. Mordecai, who was effectively condemned to death, rose to become the second highest ranking official in the nation. No matter how hopeless our condition, or how much we would like to give up, we need not despair. God is in control of our world.” }
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Cross Reference Passage: Romans 8: 28-30 : [NLT] …28 And we know that God causes everything to work together£ for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory.

My Journal for These Two Days: And for the past two days my chronological reading plan has taken me into the fascinating narrative of the book of Esther, … a book in God’s inspired Bible where the human author (whom we don’t know for sure – possibly Mordecai) never mentions God by any of the LORD’s names; but in this narrative, which almost reads like a three-act Shakespearian play or a Greek tragedy, the hand of God is very evident as He uses the lives of the main players, Esther, Mordecai, Xerxes, and Haman, to play out their roles – under the scripting of God Himself – to show all of us how God moves to protect those who love Him and are His called ones. And as I read this dramatic scenario again this morning, I was taken to one of my main memory verses in the NT, … Romans 8: 28, which reads [in the NKJV], All things work together for good for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.

As you can see above, I’ve changed my format a bit in my journaling these past two days, putting in some of my own descriptive comments above instead of quoting from the actual text of the Book of Esther. But I do hope anyone reading this will go back and read through the Book of Esther’s life, which shows us all how we’re planted here in our times and our sphere of influences to be agents of God’s purposes and His players in His perfectly timed drama of life.

To quote from Mordecai’s plea to Esther (and the key verse of the Book in Chapter 4: 14), … “who can say but that you have been elevated to[this time and place]for just such a time as this?"And by taking in this dramatic scenario in Esther’s life, we must ask ourselves, in these times in which we live, “What is the role God wants me to be played in my life and times to be God’s well-placed person and to carry out His well-intentioned will for this time and place in my life?”

And I’ll leave that to your own personal quandary today. It certainly weighs heavily on my mind mind/heart.

My Prayer Today: … Lord, show me where You want me to step in and become Your voice in my life and times. I want to be like Esther and shine Your light in an ever darkening world, exactly where You’ve placed me. Amen